Obesity, defined as having an excessive amount of body fat, has been linked with an increased risk of health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and more recently cancer. The body mass index (“BMI”) is often used to determine whether a person is obese. A normal BMI is between 18.5 and 25, while a BMI of 30 or greater in adults is considered obese. Morbid obesity (also known as extreme obesity or severe obesity) is associated with a BMI of 40 or greater, and it greatly increases the risk of serious health problems. Surgery for morbid obesity has been shown to decrease the risks of diabetes and cancer, and the prevalence of such surgery is expected to increase in coming years.
Currently there are two major surgical operations for aiding weight loss that are performed laparoscopically: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and laparoscopic gastric banding. In gastric bypass surgery, the stomach is divided and a proximal gastric pouch is connected by a small bowel Roux-en-Y limb, resulting in weight loss by causing satiety and possibly malabsorption. Although it results in weight loss, a high percentage of patients regain weight after two years.
In laparoscopic gastric banding, a surgeon positions an adjustable band around the upper part of the stomach to form a small pouch which holds food. Gastric banding most likely works by restricting solids and increasing pressure in the gastric cardia, leading to the patient feeling sated and decreasing oral consumption. Gastric banding allows the gut to maintain its original architecture, and the procedure is reversible by removal of the gastric band. It does, however, have other complications such as slippage and erosion of the band.
The shortcomings of today's technology (such as gastric banding and gastric bypass) include its invasiveness, requiring an operation with significant morbidity and mortality for the patient. It is also expensive and time consuming, requiring complex surgery to reverse. These shortcomings contribute to the reluctance of those who are morbidly obese to undergo current procedures. What is needed is a treatment that is effective, has a low morbidity, is reversible, is inexpensive, and is quick to perform.